Brake for plows.



F. L. WAGNER.

BRAKE FOR FLOWS.

APELICATION FILED lULY 31.1916.

1 ,22%, 11. Q l B Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

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FORREST L. WAGNER, 0F BUCHANAN, EO'WA.

BBAKE F03, PLOV/S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented dd, 319 117.

Application filed July 31, 1916. Serial No. 112,434.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fonnnsr LEE WAGNER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Buchanan, in the county of Cedar and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Brake for Plows, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a brake for plows of simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

My invention relates to the type of plows having a frame mounted on wheels and a plow carried by the frame and capable of being raised and lowered with relation thereto. Plows oi? this type usually have a rear wheel o'f'the caster type.

It is an object of my invention to mount a brake on this rear wheel and to provide mechanism whereby the brake is automatically set when the plow share is raised.

invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a side ele ation of a plow equipped with a brake embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 shows a detail view of a portion of the brake mechanism; and

Fig. 3 shows top or plan view partly in section of the rear portion of the plow showing the manner in which my improved brakeis attached thereto.

It frequently occurs in plows of this type when the machine is being drawn over the road with the plow shares raised, that the machine tends to run up on the horses. I have, therefore, provided a mechanism whereby the brake is auton'iatically applied whenever the plow shares are raised so that this ditliculty just mentioned is avoided.

in the cxei'nplification of my invention. illustrated in the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally the frame of a plow.

Only enough of the plow frame is shown to illustrate my invention.

1 have shown a front wheel 11 which may be mounted in any ordinary suitable way.

Rotatably mounted at the rear end of the machine is an upright shaft 12 having at its lower end 2 rearwardl extendin .ortion 13. Formel on the portion 13 is a laterally extending spindle on which is mounted a caster wheel 15.

The plow 16 has a beam 17' which is mounted on the frame in any suitable way for raising and lowering the plow.

My improved brake includes a drum 18 which is secured to the wheel 15. Mounted on the drum 18 and adapted to coact there with is a hand brake 19. Suitably supported on the shaft 12 is a. clamp comprising the semi-cylindrical members 20 arranged opposite each other and having the flanges 21 whereby the semi-cylindrical members of the clamp may be secured together, and locked on the shaft 12 by means of the bolts 22. On the clamp is a downwardly extend ing arm 23 which is secured to one end of the brake 19. I provide a lever which has spaced opposite arms 23 arranged parallel with each other and having substantially the shape of a bell crank lever.

The arms 23 are pivotally supported on the clamp on opposite sides thereof and have portions which extend downwardly and rearwardly and are pivotally connected with the other end of the band brake. 19.

The arms 23 of the lever also extend upwardly and forwardly in the machine from the clamp. Rotatably mounted between the bars 24 between the forward ends of the arms is a roller 25.

Secured to the rearward portion of the plow beam 17 is a suitable clamp device 26. Supported by the clamp device 26 is a brake actuating and guide member 27, extending away from the clamp device in two direc tions substantially in the form of a semicircle.

The parts are so arranged that the roller 25 rests above and travels on the semi-circular member 27, so that when the plow is lowered the brake is inoperative.

In the practical operation of my improved brake for plows, when the plow is in use in 'the field and the plow proper is lowered,

carrying with it the semi-circular member 27 the brake is entirely inoperative. When the driver reaching the end of the row or for any reason when traveling on the road, raises the plow then the semi-circular member 27 is raised with the plow beam and engages the roller 25 raising it and with it the forwardly extending arm of the lover. The lever arm having the form of a bell crank the raising thereof will set the band brake.

As will be seen from the foregoing description the operation of the brake is entirely automatic, and requires no attention from the driver.

It is a common objection to plows of this type that they tend to run. forward on to the horses heels when the plows are raised. This dilliculty is entirely avoided by the use of my improved brake.

My brake is so constructed and arranged that it may be readily and easily mounted on plows of this general type by very slight adjustment of the parts and may be used as an attachment. It is of simple and inexpensive construction.

One of the problems involved in attaching the brake to a plow of this kind arises from the fact that the caster wheel swings around a center lying in the extended longitudinal axis of the upright shaft. On account of this fact it is necessary to mount the brake actuating lever on the shaft 12 or in some other suitable way so that the lever may remain operatively connected with the brake in all positions of the movement of the -aster wheel. This is done by means of the clamp. It of course follows that the lever will then swing around the shaft 12 and it is necessary that a lever actuating mechanism be employed that will engage the lever in any position of its movement. I have, therefore, provided a semi-circular member 27 which is so constructed and arranged around the longitudinal axis of the shaft 12 as to be always in position to engage the roller 25 carried by the lever when the movable plow member is raised.

The roller 25 acts simply as an anti-friction device.

It will be understood that some changes may be made in the construction, and arrangement of the parts of my improved device, without departing from the essential features and purposes, thereof, and it is my intentionto cover by this application any such changes which may be included Within the scope of my claims.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a frame, a plow mounted thereon capable of being raised and lowered, an upright shaft rotatably mounted onsaid frame, having at its lower end a rearward extension, a spindle on said extension, a caster wheel mounted on said spindle, a brake device operatively connected with said caster wheel, a supporting member mounted on said upright shaft a lever pivotally mounted on said supporting member having one end operative-1y connected with said brake device, and a curved member suitably mounted on the movable plow and adapted when said plow is raised to operate said lever for setting said brake in any of the positions with the caster wheel.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame, a plow supported thereon and capable of being raised and lowered with relation thereto, an upright shaft having at its lower end a lateral extension, a spindle on said extension, a caster wheel rotatably mounted on said spindle, a brake device mounted on said caster wheel, a clamp mounted on said upright shaft, a lever ivotally supported on said clamp having one end operatively connected withvsaid f brake device, a curved member mounted on said movable plow and so located as to em gage the other end of said lever When the movable plow is raised regardless of the position of said caster wheel for setting said brake.

Des Moines,.Iowa, 'July 15, 1916.

FORREST LC WAGNER. 

